Chapter
1 Samuel 8

Book of 1 Samuel - Chapter 8

1 Samuel 8:1

It happened, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

1 Samuel 8:2

Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beersheba.

1 Samuel 8:3

His sons didn't walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.

1 Samuel 8:4

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah;

1 Samuel 8:5

and they said to him, "Behold, you are old, and your sons don't walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations."

1 Samuel 8:6

But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." Samuel prayed to the LORD.

1 Samuel 8:7

the LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.

1 Samuel 8:8

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you.

1 Samuel 8:9

Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who shall reign over them."

1 Samuel 8:10

Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked of him a king.

1 Samuel 8:11

He said, "This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;

1 Samuel 8:12

and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and [he will set some] to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

1 Samuel 8:13

He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

1 Samuel 8:14

He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

1 Samuel 8:15

He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

1 Samuel 8:16

He will take your male servants, and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.

1 Samuel 8:17

He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants.

1 Samuel 8:18

You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not answer you in that day."

1 Samuel 8:19

But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No; but we will have a king over us,

1 Samuel 8:20

that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles."

1 Samuel 8:21

Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.

1 Samuel 8:22

the LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice, and make them a king." Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man go to his city."

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